Australia's teen social media ban: Teens find workarounds

Australia's ban on social media for under-16s, implemented three months ago, has shown a limited impact, according to a new report. The percentage of children with accounts on age-restricted platforms decreased, but a significant majority continue to access these services without accounts. Platforms such as YouTube and TikTok remain widely used, with many not requiring verification.

Interestingly, usage of platforms not currently under the ban, like Pinterest and BeReal, has increased among children. The report also noted a decline in parents' awareness of their children's social media activities. Despite initial data, the eSafety Commissioner stated that meaningful change will take generations, emphasizing that providers were not effectively preventing underage access in the first three months.

Further findings indicate that many children's accounts were not properly age-verified, and some even used VPNs to bypass restrictions. The ban has also led to increased use of messaging services and video games. However, there was no statistically significant change in the frequency of children using AI chatbots.